Mobile terminal with encryption chip and related network locking/unlocking method

Abstract

A mobile terminal is provided with a network lock functionality for a network. The mobile terminal includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) slot configured to host a SIM card or an unlocking device, a control chip, an encryption chip, and a network locking module. The control chip is coupled to the SIM slot through a first interface, the encryption chip is coupled to the SIM slot through the first interface to communicate with a module inserted into the SIM slot, and the network locking module is coupled to the encryption chip through a second interface. Further, the network locking module is configured to perform the network lock functionality. The network locking module also has an “open” state supporting a network unlocking operational mode and a “close” state supporting a network locking operational mode. In addition, the encryption chip is configured to determine whether the module inserted into the SIM slot is the SIM card or the unlocking device and, when the encryption chip determines that the inserted module is not the unlock device, to set the “open” state or the “close” state of the network locking module to control the mobile terminal to enter in the network unlocking operational mode or the network locking operational mode, respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobile terminal with a network lock functionality for a network, comprising:
 a subscriber identity module (SIM) slot configured to host a SIM card and an unlocking device through multiplexing the SIM card and the unlocking device; 
 a control chip coupled to the SIM slot through a first interface; 
 an encryption chip coupled to the SIM slot through the first interface to communicate with a module inserted into the SIM slot; 
 a network locking module coupled to the encryption chip through a second interface and configured to perform the network lock functionality, the network locking module having an “open” state supporting a network unlocking operational mode and a “close” state supporting a network locking operational mode; 
 wherein the encryption chip is configured to:
 determine whether the module inserted into the SIM slot is the SIM card or the unlocking device by:
 monitoring communication information between the control chip and the module inserted in the SIM slot within a specified time period; 
 obtaining the communication information from the inserted module; 
 comparing the obtained communication information with information stored in the data/program memory; and 
 determining whether the inserted module is the SIM card or the unlocking device based on the comparison; and 
 
 when the encryption chip determines that the inserted module is the SIM card, set the “open” state or the “close” state of the network locking module to control the mobile terminal to enter in the network unlocking operational mode or the network locking operational mode, respectively, based on network-lock access information setting forth requirements of the network lock functionality pre-stored in the encryption chip updatable through the unlocking device but not the SIM card. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The mobile terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 when the encryption chip determines that the inserted module is the unlocking device, the encryption chip is configured to determine whether to update the pre-stored network-lock access information based on a received instruction from the unlocking device. 
 
     
     
       3. The mobile terminal according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 in the network unlocking operational mode, mobile terminal software can be updated; and 
 in the network locking operational mode, the mobile terminal software cannot be updated. 
 
     
     
       4. The mobile terminal according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the encryption chip is a system-on-a-chip including a microprocessor, volatile memory, data/program memory, and an external interface; and 
 the microprocessor, the volatile memory, the data/program memory, and the external interface are electrically coupled to one or more internal communication buses for communicating data with one another. 
 
     
     
       5. The mobile terminal according to  claim 4 , wherein, to set the “open” state or the “close” state of the network locking module, the encryption chip is further configured to:
 receive information from the SIM card; 
 determine whether the received information requires locking the network, based on the received information from the SIM card; and 
 when the encryption chip determines that network locking is required, set the network lock module in the “close” state such that the network locking module performs the network locking and enters into the network locking operational mode, where mobile terminal software cannot be updated. 
 
     
     
       6. The mobile terminal according to  claim 5 , the encryption chip is further configured to:
 when the encryption chip determines that network locking is not required, set the network lock module in the “open” state such that the network locking module does not perform the network locking and enters into the network unlocking operational mode, where the mobile terminal software can be updated. 
 
     
     
       7. The mobile terminal according to  claim 4 , wherein, to determine whether to update the pre-stored network-lock access information, the encryption chip is further configured to:
 receive network-access related information from the unlocking device; 
 compare the received network-access related information with information pre-stored in data/program memory; and 
 determine whether the unlocking device is authorized based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       8. The mobile terminal according to  claim 7 , the encryption chip is further configured to:
 when the unlocking device is determined as authorized, determine whether the received instruction is an unlocking instruction or a locking instruction; 
 when the received instruction is the unlocking instruction, erase the pre-stored network-lock access information within the encryption chip; and 
 when the first instruction is the locking instruction, write new network-lock access information into the encryption chip. 
 
     
     
       9. A network locking/unlocking method for a mobile terminal with a network lock functionality for a network, the method comprising:
 communicating with a module inserted into a subscriber identity module (SIM) slot configured to host a SIM card and an unlocking device through multiplexing the SIM card and the unlocking device and coupled to a control chip and an encryption chip, which is coupled to a network locking module; 
 determining whether the module inserted into the SIM slot is the SIM card or the unlocking device
 monitoring communication information between the control chip and the module inserted in the SIM slot within a specified time period; 
 obtaining the communication information from the inserted module; 
 comparing the obtained communication information with information stored in the data/program memory; and 
 determining whether the inserted module is the SIM card or the unlocking device based on the comparison; and 
 
 when it is determined that the inserted module is the SIM card, setting a state of the network locking module to one of an “open” state supporting a network unlocking operational mode or a “close” state supporting a network locking operational mode to control the mobile terminal to enter in one of the corresponding network unlocking operational mode and network locking operational mode, respectively, based on network-lock access information setting forth requirements of the network lock functionality pre-stored in the encryption chip updatable through the unlocking device but not the SIM card. 
 
     
     
       10. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 9 ,
 when it is determined that the inserted module is the unlocking device, determining whether to update the pre-stored network-lock access information based on a received instruction received by the encryption chip from the unlocking device. 
 
     
     
       11. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 in the network unlocking operational mode, mobile terminal software can be updated; and 
 in the network locking operational mode, the mobile terminal software cannot be updated. 
 
     
     
       12. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the encryption chip is a system-on-a-chip including an microprocessor, volatile memory, data/program memory, and an external interface; and 
 the microprocessor, the volatile memory, the data/program memory, and the external interface are electrically coupled to one or more internal communication buses for communicating data with one another. 
 
     
     
       13. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 12 , wherein setting the state of the network locking module further includes:
 receiving information from the SIM card; 
 determining whether the received information requires locking the network, based on the received information from the SIM card; and 
 when it is determined that network locking is required, setting the network lock module in the “close” state such that the network locking module performs the network locking and enters into the network locking operational mode, where mobile terminal software cannot be updated. 
 
     
     
       14. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 13 , further including:
 when it is determined that network locking is not required, setting the network lock module in the “open” state such that the network locking module does not perform the network locking and enters into the network unlocking operational mode, where the mobile terminal software can be updated. 
 
     
     
       15. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 12 , wherein determining whether to update the pre-stored network-lock access information further includes:
 receiving network-access related information from the unlocking device; 
 comparing the received network-access related information with information pre-stored in data/program memory; and 
 determining whether the unlocking device is authorized based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       16. The network locking/unlocking method according to  claim 15 , further including:
 when the unlocking device is determined as authorized, determining whether the received instruction is an unlocking instruction or a locking instruction; 
 when the received instruction is the unlocking instruction, erasing the pre-stored network-lock access information within the encryption chip; and 
 when the first instruction is the locking instruction, writing new network-lock access information into the encryption chip.